Berryz Kobo’s savvy will beat °C-ute

Berryz Kobo will win the Battle Concert over °C-ute on April 20 at Yokohama Arena – using a combination of experience, a surge of recent excellent singles and a superior fan base as its major fuel. This prediction is based not only on the breakdown below, but on an on-DVD “mini-battle” conducted by Hello Project’s astute videographers during the Wonderful Hearts tour in January when both groups combined on “Special Generation.”

 

That “Special Generation,” a Berryz song, was picked for this preliminary skirmish is a tribute to Berryz, which had lost ground to °C-ute throughout most of 2007 but mounted a roaring comeback in early 2008.

 

Yeah, yeah, the blog just below this one makes a strong case for °C-ute being the best group of its kind in the world – and that might be true for the immediate present. Berryz, though, has a deeper understanding of how to please an audience, and a full year's difference (Berryz was founded in 2004, °C-ute a year later) will tell the story in the Battle Concert.

 

But idol singing isn’t about artistry or musicianship, or dancing ability. It’s about popularity, and Berryz Kobo has been around a year longer than °C-ute and will win the celebrity end of this. Fans who cram into Yokohama Arena will be overwhelmingly in favor of Berryz Kobo – giving Berryz a “home-court advantage,” if you will.

 

Why is that? Risako, for one, being a wota favorite. °C-ute has no answer for that. Secondly, Momoko carries enormous clout, both as a singer and a personality. On the other side, Hagiwara has enormous popularity, but Suzuki – despite having the most talent, looks and style – has never caught on with fans.

 

Member vs. member, here’s how BIJP sees it:

 

*** Maasa (Berryz) vs. Umeda (°C-ute): This is a practical wash, but Umeda gets the nod in a close matchup. Score: Berryz 1, °C-ute 0.

 

*** Miyabi (Berryz) vs. Suzuki (°C-ute): This one is a war, and Berryz fans will be rankled, but Suzuki has a much better look than Miyabi and the voices are comparable. That’s why they’re both on Buono!. Suzuki by a nose (no pun intended). Score: Berryz 1, °C-ute 1.

 

*** Saki (Berryz) vs. Kanna (°C-ute): Kanna is the weak link, and you can’t match the Little Captain’s track record. Score: Berryz 2, °C-ute 1.

 

*** Yurina (Berryz) vs. Hagiwara (°C-ute): In this "Mutt and Jeff" battle, Hagiwara prevails handily. Unfortunately, Yurina would likely lose against any °C-ute member save Kanna. Score: Berryz 2, °C-ute 2.

 

*** Momoko (Berryz) vs. Saki (°C-ute): Nakky is an up-and-comer, but this is a mismatch. Momoko by a mile. Score: Berryz 3, °C-ute 2.

 

*** Chinami (Berryz) vs. Chisato (°C-ute): Though Chinami is very much underrated, Chisato’s selection to outside units like Athena giver her the edge. Score: Berryz, 3, °C-ute 3.

 

*** Risako (Berryz) vs. Maimi (°C-ute): Singer vs. dancer, and Risako wins because her fans simply will her to win. Maimi, the great dancer, can’t match Risako’s wota-drawing power. Score: Berryz 4, °C-ute 3.

 

Berryz has the advantage so far. And now for categories:

 

*** Wardrobe: If anything brings down Berryz, it will be the horrible outfits they are stuck with, while °C-ute gets all the glam and glitter. Huge advantage for °C-ute. Score: Berryz 4, °C-ute 4.

 

*** Fans: No doubt Berryz has a massive advantage in this category, as mentioned earlier. Nod to Berryz. Score: Berryz 5, °C-ute 4.

 

*** Look: °C-ute’s got it, well over Berryz, mainly because °C-ute is younger overall and seems to have more energy and showmanship. Score: Berryz 5, °C-ute 5.

 

*** Dance: This is a runaway for °C-ute, Maimi’s the best in the world, the other °C-ute members feed off her. Saki is Berryz’ only competent dancer. Score: °C-ute 6, Berryz 5.

 

*** Vocals: Berryz, easily. Miyabi and Momoko are staggering, with Risako right in there and Yurina rapidly improving. Suzuki and Maimi, as good as they are, do not have the flexibility to go between upbeat and ballad. Score:  °C-ute 6, Berryz 6.

 

*** Songs: °C-ute caught and passed Berryz late last year vis-à-vis individual songs and their quality, and °C-ute’s 49^th Japan Music Award of last year. Edge to °C-ute. Score: °C-ute 7, Berryz 6.

 

*** Music: This is pertains to arrangements and contrasts in tunes, and Berryz has the edge because they simply have a larger body of work and have experimented with slower songs. Berryz is more versatile. Score: °C-ute 7, Berryz 7.

 

*** Energy: °C-ute, hands down. Berryz has no answer for Miami, Hagiwara and superior choreography provided to °C-ute. Score: °C-ute 8, Berryz 7.

 

*** Experience. °C-ute can’t overcome the year’s head start that Berryz has. Score: °C-ute 8, Berryz 8.

 

*** Poise: °C-ute’s swashbuckling approach is countered successfully by Berryz’ ability to be soft and gentle, and kick it what they have to. Final edge to Berryz. Final score: Berryz 9, °C-ute 8.

 

This is Radicalipton signing off – for now.